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[Yammy1]

This is probably the stupidest question ever posted here but here goes, what's the difference between peri menopause and menopause, excuse my ignorance bit I had a hysterectomy 4.5 yeas ago my doc took bloods a few years ago and said I was defineatly going theough meno but that was all she said. I'm am emotional wreck, sweats, anxiety dry skin etc. Tried hrt a couple of times but anxiety got worse so had to stop. Just wondering how you know weather it's meno or peri. Sorry for silly question 

[nearly50]

Not a silly question at all, and really difficult to work out when you've had a hysterectomy. I take it you still have your ovaries?
 Perimenopause is the stage before your final period, and menopause is the time 1 year after your final period. Also gets confusing as people tend to say they're going through the menopause when they're perimenopausal.  Bloods don't really tell anything much as levels go up and down so much but I suppose you can assume you are through menopause if the FSH levels are consistently high.

Hopefully someone else will come along who is in the same position as yourself and knows more

[Salad]

Hi Yammy1 

Having also had a hysterectomy, I'm always wondering about that too - glad you asked.
My TAH was at age 48 then aware of menopausal symptoms aged 51, now nearly four years on and I've got absolutely no idea what I am 

[samweller161]

I dont think any question is silly on this site - if its bothering you, then it cannot be silly 

I was equally clueless, I am in peri-pause as I call it but I take HRT now (and poss forever) so not sure when there might be any changes - I guess in years to come when I try and come off it, we'll see how far along the road I am

It does sound you are possibly post-pause - one of the specialists recomended on this site could arrange further tests for you if you wanted? 

Good luck

SP x

[Annie0710]

ITs not silly and for us ladies with no uterus we have to rely on blood tests.  I was peri at 45/46 and bloods showed post meno at 48 years old, they can't find my ovaries either which failed age 32 after the hysterectomy so it seems they vanished around post meno time too x

[babyjane]

Don't know if this will help 

When I had my hysterectomy (ovaries retained) my gynae chap told me that without the point of reference of the uterus my ovaries could stop working within 18 months or they could be good for another 3 or 4 years.  Looking back now I think they kept ticking over for about 5 years as I was aware of some sort of monthly cycle just without the bleeding.  After about 5 years this cycle became more random and erratic and I didn't notice the ovulation type side pain in the middle of the month any more and I had no vaginal discharge.  Then I started having mood swings and eventually the hot flushes started about 8 years after my hysterectomy.  I think these changes would have counted as perimenopause although I didn't realise it then. 

I had hot flushes, insomnia, mood swings, weight gain and VA at various stages over the next 7 years which I would class as menopause then things started to improve very slowly. For the last 2 years I would consider I am now post menopausal as the symptoms do not affect me very much now although I do get the occasional hot flushes but not often and not very strongly now. I find I am on a more even keel and I sleep well.

this is the best I can do with a timeline of peri, meno and post.  As you have said, with the absence of periods it is harder to work out where you are in the process.  I have never had any hormone tests done, my GP and endocrinologist were happy to go by symptoms as they said hormone tests can be unreliable.

[Hurdity]

Hi Yammy1

The others have given you good info about stages of menopause.

What I would say is - if you are having sweats (along with other symptoms) then please do give HRT a try again. Maybe it wasn't the right time to take it before. The beauty of it is that you do not need to take progesterone - the part that causes most problems with HRT and leads many women to give it up.

All you need to do is to start with a low dose of oestrogen and then gradually build up ( over a period of weeks) until you are at a dose which eliminates your flushes and sweats and hopefully some of your other symptoms too. I have always used patches whereas other prefer gel. I use Estradot which are tiny and stick well - and they come in a range of doses from 25 mcg up to 100 mcg. You have nothing to lose by trying!

Re dry skin etc - I presume you have had other blood tests to rule out problems with thyroid for example or vitamin deficiencies ( these can be remedied by diet!). You would have other symptoms if thyroid up the creek though - ie fatigue, joint pain, feeling cold, weight gain etc.

Hurdity x

[Yammy1]

Thank you all so much for reassuring messages, I am deficent in vit b and I'm overdue injection so will make apt with doc. I had pre op apt in hospital today( am going in next month for bowel and pelvic floor repair, damaged during hysterectomy), as an anxiety sufferer I was dreading today but I have to say nurse couldn't have been nicer, I explained about my anxiety and she was very sympathetic. She even got the anesthetist to come have a chat with me, she said not to be worried or anxious that the morning of op she will give me medication to help me relax. I cot a complete check up, heart, weight, bloods taken. My blood pressure was 135/71 not sure if this is ok because it's normally low but nurse wasn't concerned, so fingers crossed in 4 weeks time op goes well, once again thank you all for responses and after op I will consider hrt  again x